Baby Steps
by AllieKat21
Summary: Bella and Jacob took baby steps in their relationship. Now they are anxiously and pushing through baby steps at the end of Bella's pregnancy. People are constantly taking baby steps through life. This is another set of steps for Bella and Jake


**Ok guys this I don't own anything in here, because if I did things would have gone much differently. **

**Anyway it is rated M for a reason so if you're a prude or a dumb little 12 year old turn, your butt around right now because it's not for you and I'm not going to deal with stupid close-minded bullshit. **

**Now for those of you that like lemons and are old enough to enjoy it…enjoy and let me know what you think. **

Pregnancy is said to be one of the most wonderful and fulfilling experiences a woman could ever have. Well it is for the most part. It's exciting to find out you are pregnant for sure. It's breathtaking when you hear that little heart beat for the very first time. It will bring you to tears when you see your baby on the screen of an ultrasound machine for the first time and find out your baby is perfectly healthy.

Although, women never tell you that at the end of your pregnancy you're tired, stretched out so much you can't see your feet to put shoes on, your ankles are so swollen they look like sausages, and your feet are constantly throbbing. They also do not tell you that since your belly is so big you can't breathe when you sleep or get comfortable no matter what you do. To top it all off, you have to pee it seems like every 5 seconds.

Now it seems like Bella Black is experiencing all of these things. She's now counting down the days 'til she can finally give birth to her child but time seems to be going slowly. At first it felt like her pregnancy was flying by and now it is at a dead halt. At one point, she convinced herself that the baby was purposely making its progression slower to stay in there. This of course, made Jacob laugh at his wife.

When they got married almost 2 years ago, they wanted to have kids right away but waited awhile until they were settled into their new life as husband and wife. When they found out they were pregnant, both were nervous and excited.

Jacob has been amazing throughout her pregnancy. He goes to every doctor's appointment. Proudly shows off the ultrasound pictures exclaiming, "Look what I made." like an overexcited five year old. Even when her hormones are going crazy and he thinks she is going to kill him, he still does anything he can for her and their baby.

Now that they only have a few weeks left of her pregnancy, both are tired and don't want to wait any longer for the baby to come. They were warned that since this was their first baby it could be late, making the due date seem just out of reach, like the end of the best dream you ever had, you wake up and want to get back to sleep but never here Bella sits in their kitchen with her swollen feet propped up on a chair, hand rubbing her belly, staring at the calendar hanging on the wall across from her. Counting it like she does every morning now. Three more weeks and their baby will be here, even though it feels like so much longer.

She is miserable in this August heat. _Stupid Jacob's Alpha wolf sperm had to get me pregnant when he did. It's too hot in here_. She thinks, wiping at her forehead.

With some effort Bella manages to get up from her chair to head towards the freezer where her favorite thing is just waiting for her. Opening the freezer door, she closes her eyes against the sudden cold blast and relaxes into it, before reaching in and grabbing a Popsicle. Ever since the summer started and the heat began to settle in, Bella seems to be living off of the frozen treats. They are the only things that seem to cool her body down, which meant Jake had to make quite a few runs to the store late at night. She then moves back to her seat to enjoy her frozen treat.

With a groan Bella pulls herself up off the chair again to make her way into the master bedroom to find her shoes. She and Jake have another doctor's appointment today. Since her pregnancy is coming to an end, they want to see her once a week 'til the end. Normally Bella loved going to her appointments; she and Jake would always make a day out of it. Once they finished hearing how good the baby was progressing, they would have lunch together and go look for anything else they needed for the baby before it arrived.

Now since she has been getting little to no sleep, nothing excites Bella much; she is tired, cranky, and uncomfortable. She's just ready for this pregnancy to be over. She wants to see her little girl or boy already and just hold it close.

As she was slipping her well worn flip flops onto her poor swollen feet there is a knock at her front door. Not having the energy to get up at the moment she just calls out for whoever it is to come in.

"Bella where are you?" It is Angela dropping by to check up on her. The girls had remained best friends after high school and even worked as teachers together at the reservation high school. Angela teaches History while Bella teaches English/Creative Writing.

She owed Angela a lot too. Along with Jake and the pack, it was Angela who helped pull her out of her funk after Edward. She also helped her to give Jake a chance. During that time when she was starting her relationship with Jake, Miss Angela fell for another wolf by the name of Quil.

They actually are perfect for each other. Both can be silly goofballs together but Angela can also be serious which balances Quil out and keeps him grounded. They are completely devoted to one another. It's sweet watching them together. They have been together just long as Jacob and Bella but aren't married yet. Right now they are content just living together and sharing their lives with each other.

"I'm in here Angela." Bella calls from the bedroom. She has conquered her shoes. Now she is trying to master getting up from her seat on the bed.

Angela comes in laughing a little as she sees her very pregnant friend attempt to stand up. Walking over to her, she holds out a hand with a smile on her face. Making Bella glare at her but taking the help anyway.

"You just wait Angela Webber. One day Quil will get you pregnant with his freakish wolf sperm and then I will be the one laughing and mocking you." Bella declares as she stands holding onto her friend for balance.

Angela had been clued into the pack's secret after she and Quil had been dating for almost a year. Quil could not hold back the secrets anymore. He loved Angela and wanted her to love him for him; all of him, even the furry side. Seeing how much pain his friend and brother was in, Jacob had given him permission to tell her. At first Angela did not know how to react but it didn't take her long to accept it. She was in love and only wanted him, even if she had to give him flea baths…her words exactly.

"That is not gonna happen for awhile Bells. See we know how to use protection." Angela says with a smirk. Again making Bella glare playfully at her.

"Yea, yea keep telling yourself that missy." And with that the two move towards the living room where it was more comfortable.

"So what brings you here today?" Bella asks her friend as she props her feet up on the coffee table. She's happy she has someone to talk to until Jake comes home to go to the appointment with her.

Angela shifts and pulls papers out of her bag to flip though them. "Well I know how uncomfortable you've been lately. Since you're almost there, I did some research for you. You know because I'm so wonderful." She laughs handing the sheets of paper over to Bella to go through.

"Research on what exactly?" Bella asks as she skims the pages in front of her.

"Some tips and ideas on how to induce your labor naturally. Some are from medical websites and others are from message boards from woman who have tried them at the end of their pregnancies. I figure they're worth a shot." Angela says with a shrug.

Bella looks through the printouts questioning some of them. They range from eating spicy foods to drinking castor oil and even sex. Well the sex is one she'll have no problem with. It has been awhile and Jake might not be into it. It seems the further along she got in the pregnancy the more worried he became with her doing things. He didn't want anything to happen to her or the baby. It's sweet but sometimes it bordered on psychotic. At one point he wouldn't let her touch the blender to make a much wanted strawberry smoothie because he was afraid she and the baby would get electrocuted.

"Do you think these really work?" Bella asks her friend. Her mind already working into overdrive on when she can try these out. She wants this baby out already.

"Well most of them say not to try these unless you're already in the early, early stages of labor. So ask your doctor today. Besides some of those woman swore by them. My mom tried the spicy food one with me and swears I came out smelling like a taco she ate with extra hot sauce but she said it helped." Angela says with another shrug of her shoulders just as the front door opens and closes signaling Jacob's home from work.

Jacob comes into the living room smiling at his wife and her best friend on the couch together. He had taken an early day today so he can be there for Bella's doctor's appointment. Not that it was a problem; he owns the shop along with Quil and Embry.

"Hey Bells, you ready to leave?" he asks as he bends over to kiss her gently on the lips. His hand covering her belly gently rubbing to saying hello to the child that rests in there. He has to smile though as he pulls away from his wife's mouth; their baby kicked against the palm of his hand excitedly, possibly sensing his warmth. He always sleeps with his hand protectively against her belly, talks to the baby and even sings occasionally although it's off key most of the time.

"I'm ready but you might want to change real quick." Bella points at his ripped dirty work jeans and grease stained tee shirt.

Nodding his head as quick goodbye to Angela and places another kiss on Bella before heading into their bedroom to change into some clean clothes. When the door shuts behind him, Angela gets up from the couch gathering her things.

"Ok I'll get out of your way and don't forget those papers. Bella, it's worth just asking the doctor. If she gives you the ok to try them then do it. If not then we wait for the baby to be damn well ready." With that said she leans down to kissed her friend's cheek and hug her quickly.

"Bye baby. Be good for mommy. I'll see you soon...hopefully." She says in a little voice to her friend's belly before placing a kiss on it, making both women laugh lightly.

A few minutes later Jacob comes out of their room smelling like the soap he used to wash his hands and face with. He's dressed in a clean pair of loose fitting jeans and tee shirt. He has brushed back his semi-long hair back tying it neatly. He is trying to grow it back out since he missed it long and so did Bella.

"You ready to go baby?" He asks grasping her hands to pull her up. Her body now pressed up against his as best as her big belly would allow.

"Yep. Let's get going. I have some questions I want to ask the doctor today." She tells him. She folds the sheets of paper from Angela and puts them in her bag as she follows her husband out the front door to his car.

Once they reach the hospital, they make their way up to the third floor where Bella's OB/GYN is. Once inside they only wait a few minutes before they are called back by the nurse. When they are in the area of the exam rooms, the nurse puts Bella through the normal routine of getting her weight, blood pressure, pulse, and a urine sample.

While waiting in the exam room Bella sits on the bed with her legs swinging slightly as Jacob walks around the tiny room. He examines the pictures on the wall and plays with the model of the uterus that is on the countertop.

"Ok I seriously do not get how our kid is gonna come out of a tiny hole like this," Jacob says while intensely examining a model of a cervix making Bella shake her head and laugh at her husband.

"Babe its gonna get bigger during labor. Now stop playing with that. It's not a toy." She scolds him like she would one of her students.

"Well yours is my toy." He tells her trying to be funny but again only succeeds in making her shake her head laughing at him. Thankfully he was saved by the doctor entering the room

"Hi Bella how are you doing these days?" Dr. Sterling asks her. Dr. Sterling is a middle aged woman with a kind face and gentle voice that puts Bella at ease no matter how shot her nerves seem to get. She is patient with her and Jacob. She answers any and all questions or concerns they might have; understanding the nerves of new parents. She has been in practice almost twenty years and is married with four children of her own.

"I'm doing ok I guess, just getting very uncomfortable these days." Bella tells her with a small smile. Then wincing when the baby takes a quick jab at her right kidney.

"Well you've only got about three weeks to go missy. Let me examine you first and then we can discuss maybe how we can make you a bit more comfortable." Dr. Sterling says. She puts her chart down to help Bella lay down on the table with her head slightly propped up. Jacob's right next to her. Pulling up Bella's light blue tee shirt she begins by measuring her belly to see how the baby was growing. She also feels her lower belly to see if the baby has dropped down into position.

"Ok Bella the baby feels fine. He or she has not dropped too much just yet but it's growing at a perfectly normal rate. Your belly measures a few more centimeters since the last time I saw you. We checked your urine today and there is no infection and your weight is in a very normal range. I am going to have you get a ultrasound done today and the next few times you come to see me just so we can keep an eye on the baby. After we will go over any questions you guys have for me." The doctor helps her down so she can get her ultrasound done down the hall.

After the ultrasound they were lead back into the exam room to wait. The tech said everything was looking great but the doctor was right about the baby still not yet in the correct position for delivery. While they are waiting, Bella pulls the sheets of paper out of her bag. She had told Jake about them on the ride over and agreed it couldn't hurt to ask the doctor about them.

When Dr. Sterling enters the room she sits down with Bella's chart. She asks if Bella and Jacob have any questions for her.

"Actually yea we do. My friend gave me some info on how I can naturally induce my labor. I just want to see if you think any of these would work and if they are safe to try?" Bella hands the printouts to the doctor.

"Well, actually yea, a few of these have been proven to work. A couple of them don't have enough data to prove yes or no." Dr. Sterling says while handing them back to her.

"So I will say yes they are safe to try but I would suggest maybe waiting until the next time I see you since the baby has no dropped yet. I want to see if in a week your body starts the labor process. So let's go over some of these shall we?" Dr. Sterling lists her preferences of the suggestions.

After all the methods are gone over, Dr. Sterling makes them a list of some of the ones she likes the most with some details as to how each one is supposed to work. She answers all their questions and the couple is feeling better about trying some of them. They thank the doctor and go make their next appointment for the following week.

They understand that the baby will come when it's ready but now they had approval to help it along a bit. They want to get started with that help as soon as possible.


End file.
